What is Movie News After Dark? It’s a nightly collective of links and thoughts breaking down all the news and great essays from around the movie blogosphere. A celebration of quality programming, if you will. Thus, it becomes quality programming in and of itself. In short, it’s worth however long it takes you to read to the end (where we’ve strategically placed a Christopher Nolan-themed video as your reward).
We begin this evening with the internet’s story of the night, Daniel Day-Lewis’ awesome Abe Lincoln beard, as shot by Virginia local Michael Phillips. He snapped a shot of the highly method actor in a Richmond restaurant (not far from where Steven Spielberg’s film is currently in production). Basically it looks like Abraham Lincoln with jeans on. So yes, that works. Also worth noting: It’s being reported that Day-Lewis has not dropped his Lincoln accent since March. That’s one hardcore mother-effing emancipator, right there.
The end of the year is approaching and with it will undoubtedly come a number of lists from a number of websites telling you which 13 things were the best 13 things of the year. We’ve got at least 75 of these lists planned ourselves, but it’s always been our thing. Hats off to Screenrant though, who come out of the gate first with their Best and Worst Posters of 2011 article. Minus ten points for dissing the poster for The Chaperone.
Over at Badass Digest, Devin Faraci posits that David Fincher has changed the sound of trailers with his use of a cover of Led Zeppelin’s Immigrant Song in the trailer for Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. So instead of just reusing a song, movie trailers will now be completely revamping songs? Well, Hollywood is remaking everything else. Why not music, too?
The countdown is on to the end of Community‘s run — or at least their run for a while — and everyone should be talking about it, signing petitions, calling congressman and yes, we should even Occupy NBC. For now though, lets just read this NBC.com feature Abed’s Roommate Rules and enjoy what time we have left with these wonderful characters.
Tonight’s art spotlight is one I found over at Movies.com, where Peter Hall writes about The JP Show (Just People) in Alhambra, CA. It’s an art project celebrating the people of Steven Spielberg’s Jurassic Park. There’s one in Hall’s article featuring Pete Postlethwaite that you’ll want to jump over and see. Personally, I can’t get enough of this Ian Malcolm print:
Because I’m a fan of attention to detail, and because I noticed all the intricate number placements in Edgar Wright’s Scott Pilgrim vs. the World on my first viewing, I’m a big fan of Crack’s list of 7 Movies That Put Insane Work Into Details You Didn’t Notice. In other news, Stanley Kubrick was a crazyperson.
Over at /Film, Peter Sciretta has opened up a new feature that allows you to ask the guy who Googles better than you ask the expert (I kid, I kid). In his first installment, he answers the age-old question Who Gets Credit for a Screenplay? And What’s the Deal with the Ampersands and Ands? The answer is actually quite fascinating.
Christian Bale will not star in Darren Aronofsky’s Noah. It’s now being rumored that the production has moved on to the other great actor of the moment, Michael Fassbender.
Joining the cast of The Expendables 2 today was not a big action star, not even a big name in movies. Heck, he doesn’t even play a sport that’s ever been described as manly. Tennis star Novak Djokovic will appear alongside Chuck Norris, JCVD, Stallone and the rest of the cast and somehow work into the story, as he’ll be playing himself.
Our own box office prognosticator and commentary track addict Jeremy Kirk has written a very lovely piece over at First Showing about the Lord of the Rings Feast - A Day of Middle Earth Dining at the Movies, based on his experience at a recent feast held at the Alamo Drafthouse. Fair Warning: It will make you hunger for meat.
Over at Hollywood.com, former Reject staffer Matt Patches writes in the MindFood column about how NC-17 could be the new 3D. Please let this be true. I don’t know why, but I want it.
Speaking of sex. Total Film has unleashed their list of the 50 Sexiest Movie Moments (in history, one can only assume). I haven’t had a chance to comb through the entire list — we have a sex columnist for that — but I can tell you that the Sarah Michelle Gellar/Selma Blair kiss from Cruel Intention is far too low on the list at 46.
We close tonight with another video from Kees van Dijkhuizen, proprietor of the “[the films of]” project that highlights the collective works of various influential directors. Here’s what he had to say about his latest subject, Christopher Nolan: “Christopher Nolan’s films have kept anyone of us on the edge of their seat. Every film is filled with secrets, surprises, twists and turns, and only a true movie mastermind could keep even the biggest film nut fooled until the very last minute. They’re films that demand a second, third and fourth viewing. Christopher Nolan is a perfect example of traditional filmmaking with modern twists, and is a fine addition to a series already filled to the brink with inspiring artists.” And now, his video: